The Merseyside derby can define or destroy a managerial career, and Brendan Rodgers is acutely aware of the pressures it entails. The Northern Irishman managed Liverpool for more than three years, but his tenure at Anfield concluded following a 1-1 draw with Everton.
Having secured merely three victories in his opening seven matches of the 2015/16 campaign, Rodgers' role was under serious threat as speculation circulated throughout the Premier League that the Reds' owners, Fenway Sports Group, were evaluating candidates such as Jurgen Klopp and Carlo Ancelotti as potential replacements for Rodgers.
Then came the derby at Goodison Park, which ultimately proved to be Rodgers' final match as Liverpool boss. Despite going ahead through Danny Ings, Romelu Lukaku equalised just four minutes afterwards.
The result, against an Everton side that had suffered only one defeat in its first eight fixtures, left Liverpool 10th in the standings in early October, a position ultimately unacceptable to FSG.
Speaking following the final whistle, Rodgers commended his squad, stating: "Our mentality in the game was outstanding, the draw was the least we deserved." Just an hour after the match concluded, the manager was notified of his dismissal in news broadcast live on Sky Sports, with the responses of Jamie Carragher and Thierry Henry becoming legendary.
Liverpool's performances ahead of the Everton fixture were woeful, with the side having claimed just one victory in their previous nine away league outings and failing to keep a clean sheet in their last eight matches across all competitions.
It is particularly significant that the owners pulled the trigger on Rodgers' exit in the aftermath of the Merseyside derby, highlighting just how pivotal the fixture can be in shaping the futures of both players and managers.
The 248th instalment of the Merseyside derby takes place on Sunday, which also marks the first such encounter to be held at Hill Dickinson Stadium, as Arne Slot finds himself in a strikingly familiar position to that of Rodgers.
With no trophies left to contest following their Champions League exit at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain earlier this week, the Reds are winding down a campaign that supporters will be eager to put behind them.
Having already endured a string of embarrassing defeats to PSV Eindhoven, Nottingham Forest, Manchester City and others, a dismal display on Sunday could see history repeat itself more than a decade after the last post-derby managerial dismissal.
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